Priscilla Salisbury (’10) feels lucky to have turned her passion for singing into a full-time career. But she’s quick to emphasize that her work is not all fun. The rigorous discipline, hard work and business acumen required of a professional vocalist shouldn’t be underestimated. As a vocal performance major at the University of Houston, she learned how to transform a love of music into a sustainable career.

The Foundation: Beyond the Spotlight

Always a passionate singer, she knew she wanted music to be her future. Her parents were educators and supported her musical ambitions as long as she got a degree. Her family emigrated from Mexico to Houston when she was in 5th grade. Following what was traditional in Mexico, Salisbury chose her city’s university – University of Houston – for pursuing her degree. She credits the instruction and mentorship she received at UH as profoundly impactful.

“My private voice teacher at U of H was Cynthia Clayton, and she really was the one who started to teach me more fundamentals of singing and vocal technique,” she recalls. Opera director Buck Ross sharpened her stage instincts in his acting class while Dr. Lowe’s diction instruction still shapes her pedagogy years later. “The funny thing is that I teach diction now, so I always think of her when I teach diction. She was so influential to me.”

Salisbury was also part of the first UH concert chorale to travel internationally for choral competitions under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber, Ph.D., She went to Llangollen in Wales and, the following year, to Tours in France. “One of the things that I remember Betsy teaching us was that we were not allowed to say, ‘I’m tired.’ And you know what? To this day, I keep that in mind,” she says with a laugh. “Because if you focus on your exhaustion, you bring down everyone’s morale.”

Global Recognition and the Houston Edge

Salisbury’s hard work and investment in her training have paid off. After graduating from UH, she has gone on to complete two master’s degrees in vocal performance. She originated title roles in multiple world-premiere operas with companies such as Houston Grand Opera, Opera in the Heights and Seattle Opera. In addition, she has appeared as a featured soloist in major choral masterworks and has performed on prominent stages and broadcasts, including the Latin Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony and Univision programs.

In July 2025, she won Best Female Singer in the English category at the first-ever Catholic Music Awards for her performance of “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion.”

She describes the Catholic Music Awards as similar to the Grammys. Finalists don’t perform or compete at the event. Instead, they submit recordings ahead of time and then are invited to the ceremony at the Auditorium della Conciliazione in Rome to receive their honors.

While she once considered relocating to New York, as many younger creatives do, Salisbury is grateful she stayed in Houston, a city she believes rivals any major arts hub. “I think that Houston has a great music scene… fantastic, top-notch national and international ensembles.”

She points to organizations like Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony, Ars Lyrica, Mercury Baroque, and the Houston Chamber Choir, where her former professor Weber now serves as director. Additionally, UH professor Charles Hausmann, Ph.D., serves as music director at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church where Salisbury currently sings. They collaborate to put on two major orchestral works annually.

She said, “Even though I didn't have classes with him during my time at UH, he has been a major mentor in my life.”

Mentorship and the Entrepreneurial Artist

Having learned from so many impactful instructors, Salisbury has much wisdom to offer aspiring singers beginning their degrees at UH, “I would say to minor in business. At this point in my career, I feel like that is what I'm doing the most. We do need that business knowledge to help us in our careers.”

Salisbury’s journey illustrates the power of a UH arts education to shape not just a career, but a life filled with beauty, discipline and purpose. Her success stands as a reminder to every young creative in Houston who wonders whether an artistic future is possible here. It is, and Salisbury is living proof.

Connecting with the Community

For alumni and music lovers inspired by her journey, Salisbury remains an active fixture in the local cultural landscape. She encourages supporters to engage with Houston’s classical offerings and maintains an updated calendar of her upcoming performances and projects on her website.